By Alice Chambers |
Australian conglomerate Wesfarmers, which operates in retail, chemicals, fertilisers, industrial and safety products, is expanding its use of Microsoft-powered AI across its business.
The partnership will see Wesfarmers embed agentic AI across divisions including Blackwoods, Bunnings, Kmart Group and Priceline, using Microsoft 365 Copilot, Copilot Studio, Azure OpenAI and cloud technologies. The move aims to boost team productivity and improve the customer experience.
AI will be used in several areas including digital storefronts through agentic commerce; supply chain optimisation for demand forecasting, inventory management and product availability; employee workflow support, automating and enhancing core tasks; and faster access to information, helping staff quickly answer customer questions.
Wesfarmers is already using Copilot licences across multiple teams. At Bunnings, an AI-powered assistant helps store teams access product information, operational updates and organisational knowledge, reducing time spent searching and allowing more focus on customer interaction.
“Our partnership with Microsoft is supporting our increased use of AI across the Group and we are already seeing the benefits, particularly at a team member level with the use of Copilot,” said Rob Scott, managing director of Wesfarmers. “This agreement continues our collaboration with Microsoft, expanding innovative cloud services in priority areas to boost productivity and improve the customer experience.”
The new agreement will more than double Wesfarmers’ Microsoft 365 Copilot footprint. Microsoft will provide embedded engineering support, deployment frameworks and governance models to help move AI projects from pilot to full production.
The partnership also focuses on skills and training, ensuring teams can use AI tools effectively, responsibly, and get the most value from emerging technologies.
“This expanded partnership with Wesfarmers opens a new chapter for retail innovation in Australia and New Zealand,” said Jo Dooley, vice president of enterprise at Microsoft Australia and New Zealand. “Together, we aim to deliver scalable, secure, and responsible AI solutions that improve both employee and customer experiences and set a new benchmark for retail transformation.”